LTSA - Rule 32017 - Impact on MX5 owners

[Mike Pearson - WYSIWYG...]

Well I've got off my butt, ordered via the LTSA website and received a copy
of the proposed land transport rule: vehicle equipment in the mail.

From the agency that brought you the noisy exhausts rule, I offer some other

proposed rules that might have an impact on MX5 owners...


AUDIBLE WARNING DEVICES
Draft Rule: An audible warning device must not make an unnecessary noise,
or a noise which is unreasonably loud, harsh or shrill.
Risk: How will this be measured, ala exhausts? Bye, bye to your airhorns.
My submission: You are the Land Transport Safety authority. Loud noises are
not a safety issue. Noise control is a council issue. They use a set
decibel level standard.


SPEEDOMETERS
Draft Rule: If your vehicle can do more than 50 km/h, you must have a
speedo. It is no excuse that it has been removed for repair.
Risk: Minimal, unless your speedo is being repaired and you can't get a
replacement.


SUN VISORS
Draft Rule: A motor vehicle must be fitted with a sun visor if it is
reasonably practical to do so.
Risk: Minimal, all MX5's have a sun visor right?
Other point: THere is a standard relating to the impact absorption of sun
visors !


MUDGUARDS
Draft Rule: A motor vehicle must be fitted with a mudguard over each road
wheel if it is reasonable and practical to do so. Mudflap must be no less
than the width of the tyre.
Risk: Great, most MX5s do not have front mudguards as standard - cost for
factory originals in NZ is about $250. You can always get cheapies at the
garage.
My submission: Rear mudflaps stop debris throwing up. No such safety
requirement for front mudflaps, as debris is blocked by the car.


EXHAUST SYSTEMS
Draft Rule: For a silencer to be effective, it must act to reduce the noise
emitted by a vehicle's exhaust to an appropriate level.
Risk: Great, as we have discussed.
My submission: You are the Land Transport Safety authority. Having a good
working order exhaust is a safety issue and should be regulated. Loud
noises are not a safety issue. Noise control is a council issue. They use
a set decibel level standard. Why would you do exhausts and not horns,
radios, sirens, shouting/road rage? You will encourage manufacturers to
produce an OEM LOUD exhaust.


VISUAL DISPLAY UNITS
Draft Rule: Allowed if required for commercial operation, delivers
text-based information, or assists with navigation or operation of vehicle.
Risk: Possible, depending upon how interpreted. Graphic equalisers are not
text-based. Radar detectors are not always text-based, and also have a
voice mode.
My submission: This is too technology specific -what is the principle, that
a VDU must not distract the driver, or interfer with vision. Also focuses
on vision - what about voice alerts, touch (vibration) alerts, etc.


VEHICLE MOUNTED SIGNS
Question: What vehicles should be allowed a vehicle mounted sign? If these
are allowed, how should they be regulated?
Risk: Up to you contractors to decide. Personalised number plates seem ok,
so far.


If you wish to make a submission against this proposed move, please see the
submission link for the Vehicle Equipment rule changes -
http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/consultation/ve ... -form.html


If one person says something, they might not listen, if 300 say something,
it means it's controversial!

Regards,

[Mike Pearson - WYSIWYG...]

Interesting point of law! I just checked the Land Transport Act 1998,
Section 189/190 and they would seem to be outside their authority to set
rules on exhaust noise, unless it can be proven it is related to land
transport safety. I'll put that in my submission too.


189.Principal objective of Authority-

(1)The Authority's principal objective is to undertake activities that
promote safety in land transport at a reasonable cost.

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1), a cost is a reasonable cost if the
value of the cost to the nation is exceeded by the value of the resulting
benefit to the nation.


See for your self at :
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/browse_v ... l_statutes


Regards,

[Troy Willmot]

Hi,

Haven't really been following this thread myself, but if your making a
submission about the new exhaust rules you could do me a favour and throw
the following in.

There are a large number of 'competition' vehicles in New Zealand that are
used for motorsport events. Many of these may, for one reason or another,
have noisy exhausts.
Currently these vehicles have to under go certification for roll cages and
other modifications in order to be allowed on the road - but there does not
appear to be any provision in the new laws to excuse competition vehicles.
Even if the new law is passed (as ridiculous as it is), competition vehicles
should be exempt. These vehicles are not generally driven on open public
roads, except where an event requires competitors to travel a short distance
from the end of a stage to the begining of another (or the same) stage.
Alternatively if a competitor cannot locate a trailer for an event they may
drive the vehicle to it, however either case is not likely to cause major
issues for the public and so there is no reason for them to be included in
this legislation. At a very minimum, any vehicle with an authority card (or
perhaps an MSNZ vehicle logbook) should be exempt, as these documents would
prove the vehicles primary use as being for competition.
This oversight is just another example of how poorly thought out this whole
thing is, and probably also evidence of the political pressure certain
authoritiess are feeling to deal with a social problem.

Anyway, that my two cents worth. Hope it wasn't too off topic, after all,
some competition cars are MX5's too

Thanks.
Troy

[lou Girardin]

Good work, but perhaps an official submission should go forward under the
auspices of the club too.
The audible warning rule is unenforceable it's too subjective. Like so many of
LTSA's 'ideas', this smacks of being seen to do 'something'.
Don't confuse mudguard and mudflap. Mudguards have always been required on
passenger cars, with some exceptions. Mudflaps have only been required on
heavy motor vehicles.